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CaP. XLIII.1 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

because my men deserted under similar circumstances. It is saidthat my last report before this time showed 1,700 men for duty, andthat when the enemy reached Grenada I had but 700.It will be remembered that Vicksburg had fallen and the wholecountry was greatly depressed. All of the Second Arkansas Regi-ment except 40 men deserted. The term of service of Blythe'sregiment, the last report of which was 354 aggregate present, andof the Sixth Battalion, aggregate 125, with State troops, was aboutto expire, and General George, commanding State troops, had giventhen permission to retire from camp to reorganize and they werenot in hand. Major Chalmers' battalion, 94 men, which was guard-ing the Tallahatchie at Wyatt, was cut off by the enemy thatcrossed at Rocky Ford. Falkner's regiment, 250 strong, was arrest-ing deserters and did not get into Grenada at all, and McGuirk's,about the same size, was engaged in the same business, and only apart of them were on hand for the fight. These facts were repre-sented to General Lee once before, but he seemed still to think thatI was somewhat culpable for having so many men engaged in arrest-ing stragglers and deserters. I beg, therefore, to exhibit the orderthat I received from Lieutenant-General Hardee about the arrest ofdeserters from General Johnston's army, and to state that the de-serters were represented to be in considerable bodies, armed andthreatening resistance. Under these circumstances I think I wouldhave been derelict in my duty if I had sent out a smaller force toarrest them than I did.It was my misfortune that the enemy came upon me at such atime, but I cannot admit that there was any fault in me.I had been quite sick just before, and as soon as I was able to travelhad gone to General Johnston to ask for assistance. The enemycame in my absence.Hoping this will explain a matter which has heretofore been un-satisfactory, I am, major, yours, respectfully,JAS. R. CHALMERS,Brigadier- General.[Inclosure.]HEADQUARTERS,Morton, Miss., July 29, 1863.Brigadier-General CHALMERS,Commanding, &c.:GENERAL : Lieutenant-General Hardee, commanding, desires thatyou will take energetic measures for the apprehension in your vicin-ity of deserters from this army with which the country is swarming,and send them under guard to these headquarters as fast as arrested.Respectfully, general, your obedient servant,T. B. ROY,Lieutenant- Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.RICHMOND, December 14, 1863.General J. E. JOHNSTON:Brigadier-General Forrest was promoted to meet your wants, andthe suggestion as to his position was made because of his localknowledge. Major-General Lee remains senior officer of cavalry andyou can use both as the public interest requires.JEFFERSON DAVIS.

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United States. War Department.The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 31, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc.,
book,
1891;
Washington D.C..
(texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152608/m1/838/?q=Calvert:
accessed January 21, 2019),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu;
crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.